Friday, May 29, 2015

The Damsel 3.0 - Part 2

This is the concluding part of last weeks piece based on the level 4 mission favourite, the Damsel in Distress.

The Damsel 3.0 - Part 2

Director Lour looked at his messages screen. Nothing. She was twenty five minutes late to the rendezvous. Something was wrong. He pulled up her file just to take his mind off the ticking clock. Belles Meganier aka Diarrala was an Ethnic Gallente, 28 years old and one tough cookie. She was an orphan and raised in foster homes. Her first brush with the law was aged 14. At 17 she served a few months in juvenile detention. That worked in straightening her out. At 18 she was back in school and after that a set 5-year term in the Federal military. At 25, despite her background, she joined the Roden Shipyards Police Service. They were well known for giving people who had a brush with the law a second chance. Last year she went undercover to infiltrate Kruul's organization. It was easy to get her into one of the low level gangs loosely affiliated with the organization. A few good heists, which were actually facilitated by her security services colleagues, brought that particular gang into the spotlight. A couple of informants spreading false rumors that the Serpentis Syndicate was interested in recruiting the gang to their own organization did the rest. Kruul had taken the bait and within a few months Belles was part of his inner circle back on their outpost. Lour stood and walked to the window and gazed out into space over the massive shipyards.

When do you burn an asset like that? It was a question Director Lour had asked several times in the past. The information she passed them was useful but they had to be careful. If they acted on everything she passed to them then Kruul would know there was an informer within his trusted circle. They were waiting for the big one, letting the small ones slide. However this turn of events had forced their hand. All because some stupid girls wanted a good time in the pleasure garden nightclub.

All that undercover work wasted. If something had happened to Belles then it could be even worse. He flicked through Kruuls known associates on his datapad pausing at Kils Tuf. The brutality and sadism of Kruuls chief enforcer was well known. If Belles had been caught, this was the animal that would dispense their version of justice on her.

30 minutes overdue now and still no message. The ships waiting at the coordinates confirmed no sign of any shuttle on scan. Director Lour returned to his desk and opened the secure comm link.

"Agent Pallant. Our agent has failed. Please send in the capsuleer. Remind that Angel of Destruction that we need the both girls alive and unharmed, this is imperative. There can be no mistakes!" he said forcefully.

"And our own agent Director?"

Lour paused glancing to his datapad still showing the picture of a snarling Kils Tuf.

"If she's failed then its too late for her already I fear. If she has been captured then I am sure that she will welcome the arrival of an Angel of Destruction. The two girls are the only priority."

-o0o-

Gurtan arrived at Kruul's quarters door. He reached for the call button and hesitated as he heard a faint scream from inside. He was one of Kruul's many enforcers. Not only had he seen extreme violence, he had dished it out many, many times. Whilst hardened to extreme violence, he'd always been attracted to Diarrala. He was not looking forward to entering that room. He pressed the call button. Another scream. The door then hissed open and revealed the scene to him. He focused only on Kruul's face, refusing to look at Diarrala.

"Yes Gurtan. What can I do for you?" Kruul said cheerfully knocking the ash from his cigar.

"I don't suppose its some cheerful, fun-loving Captain looking for a good time for himself and his happy-go-lucky crew in one of our many exciting entertainment establishments?"

"Its a capsuleer."

"Oh so that's a no then! Mmmmmm, an egger is it?" Kruul turned back to Diarrala who was still tied to the top of the pool table. "One of your friends perchance? Was that where your messages went? To a real-life pod jockey?" He blew on the glowing tip of the cigar and then pressed it to the underside of her breast. The hissing of the cigar on the delicate flesh was drowned out by her scream. She arched her back in agony, pulling against the restraints. She collapsed back down as he withdrew the cigar. Her back, wet with sweat, making a sharp slapping noise as she dropped back onto the table top. Gurtan tried not to look but couldn't help it. Her body was covered in small bleeding cuts and numerous circular angry burns.

"Oh don't look like that Gurtan, the damage is not as bad as it looks." Kruul said "We can get the table re-felted. It'll be as good as new for tomorrow nights game. Anyway, I have a pod jockey to deal with. I'll ship up, you take Diarrala here down to medical and get the doc to patch her up. I want to restart our little 'chat' once I've podded the asshat arriving outside."

Gurtan nodded to his boss hiding a grimace. He walked over to the barely conscious Diarrala on the table and started to untie her ankles first. Kruul strode towards the door barking orders into his datapad as he went.

"Warm up the Macherial and load the guns with Republic Fleet EMP rounds. Its play time!" he ordered as he exited the room.

-o0o-

The massive Raven class battleship dropped out of warp 80km from the outpost. The Capsuleer quickly assessed the situation. The primary defense fleet was already moving to intercept him. Nothing major he considered. With a simple thought he locked the incoming ships and opened fire within a couple of seconds. The cruise missiles streaked from this ship towards the first incoming Pleasure Hub Sentinel battleship. At the same time a hatch on the underside of the Raven opened and five Gallente Hammerhead combat drones launched into the blackness of space. In a moment all five had received their orders direct from the capsuleers mind and took off to engage one of the smaller approaching attack ships.

Inside the bridge of the Raven it was quiet. Whilst capsuleer-piloted ships required substantially smaller crews they still needed crew on board. The bridge crew was significantly smaller still, the capsuleer wet-wired into the ships systems making the critical decisions.

The most senior position was the Executive Officer after the capsuleer.

"Status reports?" he asked in a commanding tone.

"Fire Control sir. Three by eight missiles in the tubes. Reload imminent. Stocks are green."

"Sensor Control sir. We have frigate, cruiser and battleship bogeys engaging. There are another six battleships en-route on medium range scan with a possible reserve after that of 19 more frigates, cruisers and battleships."

"Very good!" replied the XO. This was going to be a relatively easy mission. Being outnumbered thirty to one in encounters was usual for capsuleers.

-o0o-

Gurtan carried Diarrala down the corridor towards the lift. She was barely conscious. He'd wrapped her scarred body in a sheet. The white cotton was now spotted with blood and damp with sweat. Gurtan felt sorry for her, but had to follow orders. Kruul was not a man to cross. The outpost shook. They were under attack. A stronger tremor made him bend his knees and brace in position for a moment.

"Gurtan." Diarrala whispered faintly.

"Shhhhhh Diarrala. I'm going to get you help."

"Gurtan I have to tell you something." her voice was almost in audible. He stooped and carefully placed her on the floor, leaning her back against the bulkhead as the outpost shook again.

"What is it?" he asked leaning in close.

There was a sickening crack as Diarrala 's palm flew out and struck him on the nose. The carefully aimed blow shattering his nose and sending bone fragments into his brain, killing him instantly. Diarrala shook her head to try and clear it. Standing gingerly she tied the sheet around her tight. The outpost shook and the corridor's lights flickered. Years worth of dust sprinkled out of the air vents due to the violent shaking. She looked at the nearby information panel on the wall. The nearest escape pods were only 50m away.

"At last, something going right for me." she grumbled and slowly made her way down the corridor, limping badly where Kruul had burnt the soles of her feet.

-o0o-

To a casual spectator it appeared the capsuleer was firing on the outpost indiscriminately. In fact the missiles were targeted with incredible precision. The defense fleet and their backup had all been destroyed.

Kruul knew this as he watched from the small window of his escape pod. The wreck of his burning battleship smoldered a few kilometers from his current position. The Capsuleer knew where the scientist's daughter was and he was breaking up the outpost around her. Within a few minutes the outpost exploded, the arsenal of guns and ammunition stored at his black-market arms bazaar igniting as the rest of his empire burnt. The pleasure gardens, the casinos, the cathouses, the narc labs and booster dens. All gone. He could only watch as the immense Raven flew past towards the wreckage of his ship. It slowed as it passed a large chunk of the outpost and bright blue tractor beams latched onto the wrecked section. Obviously he was transferring the scientists daughter onto the battleship. Seconds later the ship aligned and vanished in a flash of light as it's warp drive propelled it into faster-than-light travel.

"Fracking eggers." Kruul muttered.

-o0o-

Three days later Kruul was sat in a chair, has hands cuffed behind him and to the back of the chair. His legs were similar restrained meaning he was held in position tightly. The last few days had not gone well. Following the Capsuleer attack he'd lost his outpost, his battleship and now his freedom. His escape pod had been scooped by the Roden Police Forces that had arrived just after the capsuleer had wrecked the place. He'd been transferred to a Thanatos class carrier, processed and then transfer and handed over on this orbital station.

He tried to think who he had dirt on here. Who could get him out of this situation? He'd asked for his lawyer already so nothing more to do but wait. He knew he'd be out on bail soon enough, he had enough bent judges and cops on his books to make sure he'd not spend a day in jail proper. There was a click as the door behind him opened. He didn't try to look behind, that is why the room was set up as it was. So detainees couldn't see who was coming and go and make them nervous. He wasn't going to play their mind games. The door clicked closed.

"Any chance of a coffee?" he asked casually "Or a beer would be better. Matari whiskey would be the best."

There was no answer. Just a smell of smoke. Cigar smoke.

"There is no smoking here you know." he said. "I think you'll find its against the law you naughty policeman!"

He heard a click of heels. A woman. The smell of the cigar smoke was familiar. It was his favorite brand!

The unseen person finally appeared in his field of vision and his heart sank. There was Diarrala, puffing lit cigar between her lips. She circled once and then came in close.

"Hi Kruul." she purred leaning forward. His vision dropped to her low cut top. The burn marks and knife scars that should have been there were gone.

"Yes, the company was kind enough to grow me a clone from my DNA and transfer my consciousness over. Was a lot easier and less painful than weeks of plastic surgery on all those wounds you inflicted. I have also been offered mind-cleaning as well. The nightmares I'm suffering about being tied to that pool table are not nice. I have delayed treatment you know. I'm actually scheduled for the procedure in a few hours. I wanted to be able to still remember what you put me through until after I'd had a chance to repay you properly. Anyway I have that opportunity now so they are welcome to remove that two hour section from my memory later."

Kruul tried to make sense of the situation as the woman he knew as Diarrala sunk to her knees. There is no way the Federal Police would allow this psycho bitch to be alone with him! There were laws they had to follow. He stared in horror as she unfastened his belt and pulled his zipper down. He looked up to the security camera in the corner with pleading eyes. Was nobody going to stop this? It was only a scientists daughter! He didn't have the clout for the security services just to ignore the law.

"Remember you told me that story about your education in a woman's body? I'm afraid I cannot reciprocate with anything similar. We girls don't need to be taught. Men are simple beasts. We all know your sensitive area!" she said taking him in hand.

"You're bluffing you bitch. You cops have to play by the law. You aren't going to do shit to me. Now where is my lawyer?" he snarled hiding his fear.

Diarrala smiled before blowing on the cigar making it glow.

Back in the observation room Director Lour watched the monitor. Kruul's face filled the screen. His mouth and eyes were wide open and the veins on his neck were bulging. His agonized screaming, followed by pitiful begging, echoed through the speakers on low volume. The sizzle of the cigar barely audible over the howl of pain as she started again. He watched for a few more seconds as the man struggled in agony in his bonds and then turned off the monitor. He left the room and found the technician stood there by the door exactly where he'd told him to wait 10 minutes before when he had kicked him out of the room.

"Give it another ten minutes. I was never here. The prisoner in the interview room was never there. That woman was never there. The gap in the recording logs for that room are due to routine maintenance on the cameras and undertaken when the room was empty. Do you understand?"

"Yes Director."

Lour nodded and walked away ready to give his own daughter the biggest telling off of her life. He was still deciding whether to show her the snapshot he had of Kils Tuf and if he should tell her what the freak of nature was going to have done to her if it hadn't been for Belles Meganier and the Capsuleer. If he did tell her, it might keep her out of Pleasure Gardens for the rest of her life!

But this story made wonder: what if your idea of Kruul were mashed up with Sugar Kyle's idea for the damsel? (http://lowseclifestyle.blogspot.com/2013/02/distress-part-one.html, http://lowseclifestyle.blogspot.com/2013/02/distress-part-two.html, http://lowseclifestyle.blogspot.com/2013/02/distress-part-three.html)

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